


Bunny Ears, Bunny Ears

by flightinflame



Category: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (TV 2016)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Shoes, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-09 01:52:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17397842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flightinflame/pseuds/flightinflame
Summary: Five times Dirk tried to tie his shoelaces, and one time he didn't.





	Bunny Ears, Bunny Ears

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SlytherinPirate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherinPirate/gifts).



> For Slytherinpirate, who said he'd read a 1000 word fic of Dirk tying his shoelaces, and with thanks to neville for suggesting 5+1 theme  
> Thanks to Lourdes for proofreading incredibly fast!

1.  
"Mumie! Mumie look!" Svlad grinned up at his mother, showing her that he'd tied his shoelaces all by himself. She smiled, but Svlad couldn't help noticing that her eyes looked a little sad. She leaned in and hugged him tightly, as though she was trying to squish him. He giggled, escaping from her grasp.  
"Well done Svlad. Now, put on your coat, that nice man'll be here soon and we don't want you to not be ready." She paused, checking the bag he had packed. "Now, have you got your teddy bear?"  
Svlad nodded, grabbing the bear and holding it up to show her. She nodded, pulling him against her and pressing another kiss to his forehead.  
"You're such a good boy Svlad," she murmured, and he smiled at her. He wasn't sure why she looked so sad, but he hoped if he could smile it would make her happy. He held out his bear, wondering if she might feel better if she could cuddle it, but she shook her head.  
"It's okay Svlad, you keep your teddy bear." She hugged him again, and he wanted to say she was squishing him too tightly, but he didn't want to make her sad. Then the doorbell rang, and she stepped away, leaving him looking down at his neatly tied shoes.

***

2.  
"Stop laughing at me Mona," the newly named Dirk Gently snapped at the squeaky toy which was perched by his feet. There was a slight noise from her, which might have been an apology or a protest. Dirk reached out and patted her gently on the head.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped," he told her, before frowning, trying to work out how he could do this.

He'd been able to do his shoelaces when he went into Blackwing. He could remember that. It was just that there his shoes had been slip-ons - something about not wanting to leave the projects with shoelaces. So for the past ten years, he'd been wearing shoes without laces. Now they had escaped, and he'd found a bag of clothing that was his size. He could scarcely believe his luck, until he got to the trainers. They were battered and old, and they were laces. He couldn't put his old shoes back on - the ones from Blackwing had never been designed to be worn outside, and had fallen apart. It was this or nothing. He stared at the laces, determined not to be defeated by some string. He took a steadying breath, and took an end of the lace in each hand again. He remembered there'd been a story about a rabbit, but he couldn't remember how it went. He wrapped one side around the other to make the basic knot, and then tried to make the loops. His fingers weren't remembering, and Mona wasn't giving him any advice.

After a few attempts, and feeling rather disheartened, he knotted them again, and then tucked the ends down beside his socks so he wouldn't trip over them. He repeated the process on the other foot, picked Mona up, and walked onward.

***

3.  
Being out of there was good. He had Todd back, and Farah - and they were both alive, which was absolutely fantastic news. The three of them were potentially stuck in a police cell, which admittedly was a minor problem, but compared to the day he'd been having previously he would take falling through into a damp car trunk any time.

Hobbs, the sheriff who seemed to actually be interested in what Dirk had to say - another feature of a rather remarkable day - walked over to the cell he was sharing with Todd.

"Thought you could use some shoes." He held out a pair of sneakers. "Can't promise they fit, and we'll need to come up with a longer term plan later, but-"

"Thank you," Dirk said quickly, taking the offered shoes and slipping them on, then doing up the laces into a neat bow. He did them up, grinned, and undid them. This time, Blackwing hadn't taken away his ability to do up his shoes, or the fact he had friends. He smiled to himself, seeing if he could remember how to do his shoelaces very quickly. He tied them, untied them, tied them again.

"Dirk, what are you doing?"  
"I'm tying my shoelaces Todd, you can see that."  
"Yes but you're..." Todd started, then shook his head and snorted a little. "As long as you're happy."

"I'm happy," Dirk agreed. "I'm back with my amazing friends, and I have a case! Of course I'm happy." He glanced over to Todd, and realised that Todd was smiling at him. He had forgotten quite how handsome Todd looked when he smiled. If tying his shoelaces would make Todd smile, he would do it a hundred times if he had to.

Before he could start on that, Hobbs returned, and this time he was holding a key.

***

4.  
Waking up in bed with Todd wasn't unusual. It had always felt safer there, having him beside him, and accidentally falling asleep in Todd's arms had turned into deliberately falling asleep in Todd's arms, because that was where he belonged, where no nightmares or memories of the past could get him.

Today though, was different. He thought back to the previous night, of kisses and touches and the fact that he and Todd had been together. And it had been marvellous. Marvellous enough that he felt Todd deserved some breakfast.

He slipped out of bed, pulling on a dressing gown and going to the kitchen to make some coffee, when he discovered rather disastrously they were out of milk. For a moment he considered clambering back into bed and pretending he hadn't seen it, but that wasn't a very good idea. For one, Todd would still not get coffee or breakfast, and two he might disturb Todd sneaking back in.

He looked around, finding where his trousers and shirt had been discarded the previous night, and pulled them on, then went to put on his shoes. He grinned to himself as he began to tie them, dancing a little at the fact that he and Todd had had fun. He smiled to himself, whispering "did it" beneath his breath and then giggling.

He took a step forwards, then stumbled.

Glancing down, he realised he'd managed to somehow knot the shoes together. Reluctantly he undid them, coughed to hide his embarrassment, and then tried again.

***

5.  
Dirk's hands were shaking. He could see his face reflected in his polished shoes, and he looked nervous. He looked elegant, and smart, but nervous. He just couldn't get his shoe laces to tie. He frowned. He couldn't be late to his own wedding because he couldn't do his shoes up, that wouldn't do. Todd had already said he understood that the wedding might be delayed if a case happened, because Todd was wonderful and far more patient than Dirk deserved. But a case was at least a good excuse. Failing to do up your own shoes was not a good excuse, and Dirk didn't want to have to say it.

He stuck his tongue out in case it might help him concentrate, but it was no use. His hands were still shaking.

"How are you doing?" Farah called through the door, and he whimpered a little.  
"Um… I could do with some help maybe?" he admitted, and she walked in. She looked stunning in her best-man's suit.  
"What's wrong?"  
"I can't do my shoelaces," he muttered, embarrassed. "My fingers are too nervous."  
She sighed softly, but crouched down in front of him.  
"You two are perfect for each other. It's going to be okay."

Dirk nodded, and smiled as he took her hand. She was going to walk him up the aisle, to where Todd would be waiting. Even if he was afraid, the fact Todd would be there for him made it worth doing. And thanks to Farah, he didn't need to worry about falling over his laces on the way there.

*** 

+1  
Dirk might have been able to tie his own shoelaces, but there were days when he didn't feel any particular need to. Days he could spend lazing around with Todd, maybe listening to him playing guitar, or try and do some baking. On relaxing days like that, sometimes he'd just wear fluffy comfortable slippers, and curl up against Todd. They had nothing to do other than be side by side. Dirk didn't think there was anywhere else he would rather be.


End file.
